1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the treatment of the common cold and, more particularly, to a method and kit for cold treatment which employs both antiviral and antimediator agents.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The "common cold" is a time honored phrase used by both physicians and lay persons alike for the identification of acute minor respiratory illness. Since the discovery of rhinovirus in 1956, a considerable body of knowledge has been acquired on the etiology and epidemiology of common colds. It is known that the common cold is not a single entity, but rather is a group of diseases caused by members of several families of viruses including parainfluenza viruses, rhinoviruses, respiratory syncytial viruses, enteroviruses, and coronaviruses. Much work has been performed in characterizing viruses which cause the common cold. In addition, the molecular biology of rhinoviruses, the most important common cold viruses, is understood in great detail. In contrast, progress on the treatment of common colds has been slow despite these advances. While there is now a large number of compounds which have been found to exhibit antiviral activity against cold viruses in cell culture, antiviral compounds have had limited effectiveness in patients.